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Last season, LeSean McCoy ran for 1267 yards, while averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Thurman Thomas's best season was 1992, when he ran for 1487 yards while averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Thomas never averaged more than 4.9 yards per carry in a season. As a pure runner, McCoy may actually be better than Thomas. On the other hand, Thomas was a much better blocker than McCoy. It's also worth noting that Thomas had 500+ receiving yards in four separate seasons. Whereas McCoy has only broken the 500 receiving yard mark in two separate seasons. (Neither of which were with Buffalo.)
I'd also like to compare McCoy to Emmitt Smith. Emmitt's summitt came in 1995, when he rushed for 1773 yards while averaging 4.7 yards per carry. 4.7 yards per carry represented the second-highest season average of Smith's career. (The highest was 5.3.) Smith never once broke the 500 receiving yard per season mark, or even the 400 yard per season mark.
How many more outstanding years can we expect from McCoy? There's no way to know the exact answer to that question. But an examination of Thurman's and Emmitt's careers can allow an informed guess.
I'll define a "good" season as one in which the RB has broken 1000 yards, and has averaged at least 4.0 yards per carry. Whereas, a "solid" season is one in which the RB has either broken the 1000 yard rushing mark or broken 4.0 yards per carry. (Minimum 500 rushing yards.) A mediocre season means he failed to break either 1000 rushing yards or 4.0 yards per carry.
Using those definitions, Thurman Thomas's last good season came in 1992 (his fifth year). Years 6 - 10 were solid. Years 11 - 13 (his last in the league) were mediocre.
Emmitt Smith had good seasons in years 2 - 6 of his career. Year 7 was solid, and years 8 - 11 were good. Year 12 was solid, and the remaining years were mediocre.
O.J. Simpson was good in years 4 - 8 of his career. He became solid in year 9, and mediocre for the rest.
LeSean McCoy is heading into year 9 of his career. If his career follows the same trajectory as Simpson's or Thomas's, this could be the last or second-last better-than-mediocre year he has. If on the other hand his career is more like Emmitt Smith's, he may have as many as four better-than-mediocre years left.
I'd also like to compare McCoy to Emmitt Smith. Emmitt's summitt came in 1995, when he rushed for 1773 yards while averaging 4.7 yards per carry. 4.7 yards per carry represented the second-highest season average of Smith's career. (The highest was 5.3.) Smith never once broke the 500 receiving yard per season mark, or even the 400 yard per season mark.
How many more outstanding years can we expect from McCoy? There's no way to know the exact answer to that question. But an examination of Thurman's and Emmitt's careers can allow an informed guess.
I'll define a "good" season as one in which the RB has broken 1000 yards, and has averaged at least 4.0 yards per carry. Whereas, a "solid" season is one in which the RB has either broken the 1000 yard rushing mark or broken 4.0 yards per carry. (Minimum 500 rushing yards.) A mediocre season means he failed to break either 1000 rushing yards or 4.0 yards per carry.
Using those definitions, Thurman Thomas's last good season came in 1992 (his fifth year). Years 6 - 10 were solid. Years 11 - 13 (his last in the league) were mediocre.
Emmitt Smith had good seasons in years 2 - 6 of his career. Year 7 was solid, and years 8 - 11 were good. Year 12 was solid, and the remaining years were mediocre.
O.J. Simpson was good in years 4 - 8 of his career. He became solid in year 9, and mediocre for the rest.
LeSean McCoy is heading into year 9 of his career. If his career follows the same trajectory as Simpson's or Thomas's, this could be the last or second-last better-than-mediocre year he has. If on the other hand his career is more like Emmitt Smith's, he may have as many as four better-than-mediocre years left.
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